Okay, all my MC fans, here's my newest story, Protecting Carolyn. Yes, the title is a little cheesy, but it stuck, so I kept it. This is also my 146th story, so yay! Enjoy, and please remember to review!
Disclaimer: Why are you reading this? They ain't mine!
This chapter is dedicated to Podie1, my biggest MC story reviewer!
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asked, and the foreperson nodded solemnly. "Will the defendant please rise?" The defendant and his lawyer rose, and the judge asked, "What is your verdict?"
"We find the defendant," the foreman started, glancing across the room. "Guilty on all counts."
An eruption of cheers swept through the courtroom, and Carolyn Barek smiled proudly as they led Aiden Durchek away in cuffs and chains. But at the door, he turned and shot her a hate filled glare, one that sent shivers up and down her spine.
She shook the feeling off as her partner and captain congratulated her on a job well done, and she soon forgot about Aiden Durchek.
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"How bad did you get it?" Carolyn asked her partner as she chewed on the end of her pen. Mike grinned sheepishly at her and took his seat.
"Not as bad as it could've been," he answered truthfully, and she tossed the pen, hitting him dead in the center of his forehead.
Before he could retaliate, Deakins opened the door of his office and said, "Logan, Barek, my office, now!" The partners exchanged nervous glances before rising to their feet and warily trooping into the captain's office.
Carolyn sat in the chair in front of Deakins desk, but Mike rested his shoulder against the wall and crossed his arms defensively over his chest. "What's up, Cap?" he asked, and Deakins frowned at him, then turned the T.V. on.
As the object of the camera's focus came into view, all color drained from Carolyn's face.
"After nearly nine years, Aiden Durchek has been released from prison," the newscaster announced, and Mike's eyebrows arched as Carolyn's knuckles turned white from gripping the armrest of the chair.
Deakins turned the T.V. off and sank down into the chair with a deep sigh. Mike's eyes skittered back and forth between his partner and captain, and he said, "Okay, what's going on here?"
Before any answers could be given, Carolyn stood up and darted out of the office, leaving Mike to stare at the wide open door. "What the hell was that?" he demanded, and Deakins slowly rose to his feet again, running one hand through his steely gray hair.
"Aiden Durchek," Deakins sighed, "nearly killed your partner nine years ago."
Mike's knees buckled, and he grabbed the doorframe for support. "What?" he whispered, his head spinning violently.
"I can't tell you everything right now, but you do need to go find her and bring her back here. Now," Deakins stated, and for once, Mike didn't argue with him. Without another word, he ran out of the office in search of his frightened partner.
Snow was falling in thick sheets as Mike walked through the entrance doors of the building, and he looked around. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure leaning against the wall, and he sighed in relief when he recognized the tousled brown curls. He jogged up to her, and his heart clenched when he saw the tears on her cheeks.
"Carolyn, I-"
She surprised him by throwing her arms around his neck and holding onto him for dear life, but he quickly recovered and slipped his arms around her waist, holding her protectively against his chest.
They were silent for several minutes, until Carolyn finally said, "He's going to kill me, Mike. He's going to kill me."
A cold hatred filled him, and he tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "No, he's not," Mike swore vehemently, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I won't let him get anywhere near you."
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He handed her a cup of coffee, then sat down beside her and sipped at his own drink. They sat in silence for a few minutes, until she finally cleared her throat and said, "Mike, I'm scared."
Her admission shook him. The way she said it, it was almost as if she was hoping he would protect her and make everything alright. He hated to bring up those horrible memories for her, but he needed to know. "Carolyn, what happened to you?" he asked softly, turning his body on the couch to face her.
Her eyes filled with tears, and she gripped her cup tightly in her hands. "It was… it happened almost nine years ago. I was just starting with the FBI, and he had found me. It started very sweetly, but somewhere along the way, he became insane when I tried to tell him that I was engaged."
Mike looked at her in amazement, and she shrugged one shoulder as she absently sipped her coffee.
"He began stalking me, sending me dead roses and rats at my home. I took out a restraining order on him, and it seemed to work. But the attack happened a few weeks later. I had come home after doing a two day stakeout with my partner." She took a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she placed the coffee mug on the table in front of her. "I don't remember much, but I do remember when he… when he-" She covered her face with one shaking hand, and Mike watched her anxiously.
"Car, if you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to," he stated firmly, but she shook her head and wiped away the tears, then continued.
"He raped me, Mike. The bastard raped me, then left me for dead. The doctors told me that if I had lost any more blood, I would've died. Everyone told me how lucky I was to be alive. But I didn't think so."
He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and laid one big hand on her shoulder. "I think… I'm thankful that you're alive, Carolyn. My life would be very boring if you weren't around," he joked weakly, and she smiled and brushed a tear away.
"Thanks."
His smile faded, and she shivered as his thumb absently ran over her jaw line. "I promise you, no one can hurt you now, Carolyn. I won't let that bastard or any of his goons near you. I promise."
She suddenly pulled away from his touch, her eyes focusing on the wall as she said, "That's exactly what Danny had said to me, right before…" She choked on a sob that escaped, and as she cried, he slid closer to her and hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist.
The fact that he was holding her nearly knocked her off of her feet, since they had never held each other this intimately, except when they were undercover. But she allowed him to continue holding her, reveling in the warmth that she hadn't known for nearly a decade.
"They killed him, Mike," she finally whispered, and Mike froze. "That night that they raped me, they killed my fiancé. They broke in, and he hid me in a closet while he tried to fight them off. He tried to protect me, and he lost his life for it." Tears poured from her eyes, and she buried her face in Mike's shoulder.
Holding his partner in his arms, Mike suspected that this was the first time she had ever told anyone the full story, and he felt honored knowing that she trusted him enough to allow him to help carry her heavy burden.
"Car… I know you might think it was, but it wasn't your fault. Danny must have loved you very much to want to protect you like that. And that was his choice. You didn't make him leave, and you didn't kill him," Mike said quietly, his hand running up and down the small of her back slowly.
"But he died. Because of me." She wiped the tears away and sat upright, her solemn brown eyes focusing intently on Mike. "And I'm not going to let history repeat itself. If this bastard does come after me again, he's not going to get the chance to hurt you. I'll kill him with my own bare hands before he lays one finger on you," she vowed, her normally soft and gentle eyes filled with anger and a hatred that he had never seen there before.
"Carolyn, this guy isn't going to touch me. Don't worry about me. We need to be worrying about you, and whether or not this guy knows where you are," he stated firmly.
She held her hand against her eyes, then said, "Mike, it won't matter. Don't you understand? This guy likes to torture me by hurting the people I love!"
His jaw dropped as a blush crept over her cheeks. "Really? You love me?"
"Of course I do," she muttered, staring at her jeans.
A smile crept across his face, and he cupped her chin in his hand and looked into her eyes as he said, "I love you too, Carolyn. That's why I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I won't." She looked up at him with wide eyes, as though she couldn't believe what he was saying. Here he was, admitting his feelings for her.
He saw her expression, and he wondered if that had been the right time to profess his true feelings for her. "Car, maybe this wasn't the right-"
Before he could say anything else, she leaned forward and pressed her lips lightly against his. When she pulled away, she saw that his eyes were half shut and his lips were slightly parted. "Are you sure?" she whispered, and he opened his eyes and nodded confidently at her.
"I'm not leaving you, Carolyn. Not now, not ever," he vowed, cupping her cheek with his hand.. She shut her eyes and leaned into his touch.
"Thank you, Mike," she said softly, and he smiled when she moved into his side and pulled his arm around herself.
For the rest of the night, they sat in each other's arms and talked. And when her eyes closed, he gently pulled her against his chest and laid back against the arm of the couch, his hand toying with a thick curl as he drifted into a deep, yet troubled sleep.
TBC...
A/N: Well, there we go! And yes, I know I haven't updated the others in a while, but have patience! It'll be worth the wait! Please review!